The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

I've been debating about whether or not I wanted to blog about this, but now that I kind of have a bit of a handle on it, I think its important that I do. As I've said about a million times, the first trimester was really hard, but the second and third have been fairly easy. The symptoms that people had tried to prepare me for weren't showing up to bad, and I was looking forward to a normal, routine pregnancy that would allow me to focus on adjusting to our move and getting ready for her to make her debut.

Well, about two weeks ago, I got what I thought was just a routine bug bite. It was red and itchy, but I didn't think much of it. However, within the next few days I got several more. By the end of the week my entire torso was covered in similar ones. Lester wasn't getting any at all, so we started to look for options as the itching and burning was starting to get pretty difficult. At one point, we sincerely thought that it might be bed bugs, which was mortifying. We began frantically treating for them, worrying that if it was, that all the preparation we had done for her would be wasted. However, it got to the point where I would be in the middle of Walmart and I'd suddenly have a severe breakout of the new hives and be in tears. Plus, our apartment has routine monthly pest control, and in looking they said they thought we were clean of them. At this point we were very confused-it didn't seem to be bed bugs, we had switched back to our originally laundry detergent, and I wasn't eating or doing anything differently. But it was to the point where I couldn't sleep anymore because now, my hands and feet were absolutely covered as well. Even to the point where I couldn't walk because the hives/blisters on my feet would turn into raw bloody open skin and my feet were also severely swollen.

I had been holding out for my routine doctors appointment on Monday, hoping I could at least go till then. But after some research I read about a certain condition, I thought it might be that. Plus, I was an emotional and physical wreck-so we decided to call in and see what they said. They were SO kind and sympathetic, they moved my appointment up to right the next morning. This was also our first appointment with my new doctor-the one who will be delivering our sweet daughter. He was GREAT. I felt like he talked to me on my level, but didn't make me feel dumb for not knowing everything and for having a hard time this.

In the end it turned out I was right. I have a condition that 1 in every 300 pregnant women get called PUPPP [Pruritic Urticarial Papule & Plagues of Pregnancy]. There is no explanation as to why some women get and most don't-but it basically causes red itchy hives and blisters in the third trimester of a women's 1st pregnancy. The good news is it is in no way life threatening, and it won't affect the baby at all. Its also good news to me [again] that its not bed bugs and it won't get certain parts of my body. The bad news is that the only cure is guess what-having a baby haha! So I will be stuck with these hives either for the next five weeks, or at least until she comes. After that, they should go away within a week or two and I will be hive free again! Yet ANOTHER reason I want her to get here early haha! Although they can't clear them, they were able to offer lots of options for relief. I've currently got about 3 three medications they've prescribed that should help alleviate the itching and pain, so although they are ugly and annoying, I should be able to function, which is all I want. I'm also to the point where I have weekly appointments, and my doctor is making them very close, to make sure I'm doing well and so is my baby.

Anyways, I guess I wanted to blog about this because its part of my life right now, but more importantly, to let people know this exists haha. I think one of the hardest parts about this process was not knowing what was going on. Nobody prepares you for this, because most people don't know about it! But now you do, [if you've read this far..] an if you or someone you know ends up being in the super exclusive PUPPP club, they will be able to find some relief a lot sooner then I did.

Ultimately, Lester and I think this has been one of the hardest few weeks of our life, not just for medical reasons but several others. But we can see the light at the end of this tunnel and it is fastly approaching thank goodness. I can't tell you how much we've appreciated all your love, help, support and prayers. We feel them, and we love you all for it. Thank you again, and know that we are thinking of you and are excited to share our little reward with you when she comes!